Rail-sanding device.



PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

W. T. WATSON. RAIL SANDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 1220.30, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. EEEI- WITNESSES:

A HUM/E78 PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905. W. T. WATSON. RAIL SANDING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED D30. 30, 1904 2 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

WITNESSES. 8/ awn TVILLTAM THOMAS WATSON, OF VANCOUVER, CANADA.

RAIL-SANDING DEVICE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1905- Application filed December 30. 1904. Serial No.238,915.

.T (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM THOMAS TATSON, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, and a resident of Vancouver, in the Province of BritishColumbia and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and ImprovedRail-Sanding Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and strong devicefor sanding rails and to provide means for insuring a free flow of sandat all times.

The device is intended to be attached to a railway-car and has adischarge-spout leading to the rails on which the car runs, the flow ofsand being controlled by the motorman, conductor, or other person, asmay be desired.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification, in which drawings like characters of referenceindicate like parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is asectional view showing the invention in use. Fig. 2 is a plan view withparts broken away. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 3 3 of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the discharge-spout. Fig. 5 is anend view thereof. Fig. 6 is an end view showing the cleaner inoperation. Fig. 7 is a view showing a funnel-like enlargement at theupper end of the spout to facilitate connection with the sand-hopper,and Fig. 8 is a view showing a modification in the construction of thedischarge-s out.

10 indicates the san -hopper, which is suitably mounted on the car andhas a dischargespout 11 extending from the bottom of the hopper. In saidspout is arranged an integral or otherwise-formed ledge 12, coactingwith which is a sliding gate-valve 14. Said valve is movable across thedischarge-spout 11 and slides in a suitable guide 15, cast integral withthe discharge-spout 11 or other wise formed, as may be desired. Saidgate has a sharpened edge coacting with the led e 12, the arrangementbeing such that it would be impossible for a pebble or the like tobecome lodged between the edge of the gate and the ledge, thuspreventing the complete closing of the gate and a consequent loss ofsand. At the bottom of the hopper immediately above the gate 14 isarranged a rockshaft 16, provided with a plurality of agitator-fingers17. Said rock-shaft has one end projected beyond the hopper and providedwith an arm 18, the lower end of which is connected to a link 19. Saidlink extends alongside of the gate 14 and is connected therewith bymeans of a belt or pin 20. 21 indicates a spring engaged with a hook 22,projecting from the gate and by means of which the gate is held normallyclosed.

The gate and agitator may be operated by any desired means, butpreferably by a link 23, attached to the pin and connected to an arm 24on a rock-shaft 25. This shaft is mounted in any desired location on thecar and has an arm 26, engaged by a pin 27, movably mounted in the floorof the car and adapted to be moved, for example, by the foot of theoperator. It will be seen that upon depressing the pin 27 the shaft willbe rocked and the link 23 operated to simultaneously withdraw the gateand rock the shaft 16, causing the agitator-arms to break up the sand ifit becomes clogged in the hopper and upon the opening of the gate permitsand to pass through the discharge-spout 11 into the sand-spout 29. Thesand-spout 29 is attached by brackets 28 to a convenient part of the cardirectly below the dischargespout 11, and said spout is formed, as shownin Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6, of an integral sheet of metal bent into tubularform and having its edges 30 rounded, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, andloosely engaged together. The sheet metal of which the spout is formedis sufficiently elastic to cause said edges 30 to engage tightlytogether and yet to allow them to be sprung apart by a cleaner orscraper 31. (Shown in Figs. 4 and 6.) Said scraper is introduced betweenthe edges 30 of the spout, the edges springing apart to permit the entryof the tube, which neXt turns crosswise, as shown'in Fig. 6, and moveslongitudinally through the spout, completely cleaning out the same. Thescraper or cleaner 31 is formed with a round part 31, intended to beentered into the tube, this part conforming with the cross-sectionalform of the tube, as shown. In connection with this arrangement it willbe observed that when the cleaner is inserted into the tube it loosensany sand which may have accumulated therein, and by moving the cleanerthrough the tube the last particles of sand are removed.

If desired, the upper end of the sand-spout may be formedfrusto-conical, as indicated at 32 in Fig. 7, so as to effectivelycollect all of the sand falling from the discharge-spout 11 and at thesame time to permit a free circulation of air through the spout, so asto allow the sand to dry thoroughly and prevent its clogging. Also thesand-spout may be formed in telescopic sections, as shown in Fig. 8, sothat its length may be increased or diminished at will.

Various chan es in the form, proportions, and minor detai s of myinvention may be resorted to at will without departing from the spiritand scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all suchvariations as may lie within the terms of my claims.

Having thus described the preferred form of my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rail-sanding device having a sandspout formed of a sheet ofresilient metal bent longitudinally and having its edges looselyengaged.

2. A rail-sanding device having a sandspout formed of a sheet ofresilient metal bent longitudinally, and having its edges looselyengaged, said edges being rounded arClld engaging each other at theirconvex s1 es.

3. A rail-sanding device having a sandspout formed of two sections, eachproduced from a sheet of resilient metal bent lon itudinally to form atube, the edges of the sheet being loosely engaged with each other, andsaid sections being telescoped one Within the other for the purposespecified.

4. A rail-sanding device comprising a hopper having a discharge-spout, asand-spout receiving the sand from the discharge-spout and adapted toconduct said sand to the rail, a guide projecting laterally from oneside of the discharge-spout and surrounding an opening therein, a gatearranged to slide in the guide across the discharge-spout to open andclose the same, said spout having an interior ledge projecting into thespout at the side opposite said guide, and the gate being adapted toengage. its edge with said ledge when the gate is in closed position, anagitator arranged in the hopper, and means for simultaneously operatingthe agitator and ate.

6 5. A rail-sanding device comprising a hopper, a discharge-spout, asand-spout receiving the sand from the discharge-spout and adapted toconduct the sand to the rail, a guide projecting from one side of thespout and surrounding an opening in the same, a gate movable in theguide to open and close the discharge-spout, an interior ledge in thedischarge-spout opposite said opening and adapted to be engaged by theedge of the gate when the gate is in closed position, a rocking agitatormounted in the hopper, means for sliding the gate, and a link connectionbetween the agitator and said means for sliding the gate.

6. A rail-sanding device comprising a hopper having a discharge-spout,said spout having an interior rib at one side and. an opening at theopposite side, a guide projecting from the spout and surrounding saidopening therein, a gate carried in the guide and adapted to move in andout of the spout to open and close the same, the inner edge of the gatebein adapted to engage said ledge or rib when the gate is in closedposition, a rocking agitator mounted in the hopper, means for moving thegate back and forth, and a link connection between said means and saidagitator.

7. A rail-sanding device comprising a hopper having a discharge-spout, agate adapted to move back and forth through one wall of thedischarge-spout, said spout having an interior rib or ledge on itsopposite wall, and the ledge being adapted to be engaged by the inneredge of the ate when the gate is in closed position, and means foroperating the gate, said inner edge of the gate being sharpened at thepoint which engages the ledge, for the purpose specified.

8. A rail-sanding device comprising a hopper having a discharge-spout, agate movable back and forth across the spout to command the same, arocking agitator arranged in the hopper, means for moving the gate inone direction, a spring serving to move the gate in the other direction,a link in connection with the means for moving the gate, and a crankhaving connection with the agitator and with the link.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM THOMAS l/VAISON.

WVitnesses:

THOMAS B. ORosBY, V. BRENTON.

